Select Committee Business

From 28 November to 5 December 2003

Committee meetings

There were 17 committee meetings, all in the parliamentary complex with one committee holding part of the meeting in Auckland.

Reports presented

(available at http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/Publications/CommitteeReport)

Commerce

- 2002/03 financial review of the Ministry of Economic Development

Education and Science

- 2002/03 financial review of the Education Review Office

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade

- 2002/03 financial review of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

- 2002/03 financial review of the New Zealand Customs Service

- 2002/03 financial review of the Ministry of Defence and the New Zealand Defence Force

Government Administration

- 2002/03 financial review of the Department of Internal Affairs

Health

- 2002/03 financial review of the Tairawhiti District Health Board, West Coast Health Board, and Health Research Council of New Zealand

Justice and Electoral

- 2002/03 financial review of the Ministry of Justice

Primary Production

- Inquiry into the administration and management of the scampi fishery (I.11A)

- 2002/03 financial review of Timberlands West Coast Limited

Bills referred to select committees

The Sex Offenders Registry Bill was transferred from the Law and Order Committee to the Justice and Electoral Committee.

Committee notes

(for further information on an item, please contact the committee staff noted in brackets)

Commerce (Michelle Malyon, SC-Commerce@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on Thursday, 4 December to hear evidence on the financial review of Radio New Zealand Limited. The committee also continued its consideration of the Business Law Reform Bill and the Shop Trading Hours Act Repeal Act (Abolition of Restrictions) Amendment Bill as well as other items.

The committee will next meet on Thursday, 11 December to hear evidence on the financial review of New Zealand Post Limited. The committee will also be hearing evidence on the inquiry into the New Zealand electricity industry. Both hearings will be open to the public.

Education and Science (Angela Van Dam, SC-ES@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on Wednesday, 3 December to hear evidence on the petition requesting automatic entitlement to G3 equivalency for previously qualifying teachers. The committee also considered the financial review of the Education Review Office and the inquiry into decile funding in New Zealand State and integrated schools.

The committee will next meet on Wednesday, 10 December to consider the Education (Disestablishment of Early Childhood Development Board) Amendment Bill and the financial review of the National Library of New Zealand. The committee will also consider the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (Transitional Provisions and Controls) Amendment Bill and the petition.

Finance and Expenditure (Peter Hurndell, SC-FE@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met this week on Wednesday, 3 December to consider the financial review of Treasury and examine the Financial Statements of the Government for the year ended 30 June 2003. It also heard evidence on the financial review of the Department of Labour.

On Thursday, 4 December the committee met to hear evidence on the December Monetary Policy Statement.

The committee is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, 10 December to consider the financial reviews of the Department of Labour and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, the December Monetary Policy Statement and the petition of Michael Gibson.

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (David Sanders, SC-FD@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee completed its consideration of the financial reviews of the Ministry of Defence, the New Zealand Defence Force, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the New Zealand Customs Service.

The committee also released the terms of reference for its inquiry into New Zealand’s relationship with Tonga. The closing date for submissions on this inquiry is 28 March 2003.

Government Administration (Lesley Ferguson, SC-GA@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met this week to hear evidence in Auckland on the Building Bill. It also considered the financial reviews of Government departments, the Maritime Security Bill and the petition to repeal the Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982.

The committee will meet to hear further evidence on the Building Bill on Thursday, 11 December in Christchurch at the Millenium Hotel, and again on Friday, 12 December in Wellington.

Health (Catherine Parkin, SC-Health@parliament.govt.nz)

This week the committee heard evidence from Government departments on its inquiry into the health effects of Agent Orange. The committee will hear further evidence from the New Zealand Defence Force next Wednesday, 10 December from 9.00 am to 9.30 am. The committee will also receive a briefing from the Audit Office on cervical screening between 9.30 am and 10.00 am, hear evidence from the New Zealand Blood Service on its financial review between 10.00 am and 11.30 am, and hear further evidence on the Human Assisted Reproductive Technology Bill from 11.30 am to 11.45 am. These hearings are all open to the public, and will take place in Room G.003, Parliament House.

Justice and Electoral (Louise Sparrer, SC-JE@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on Wednesday, 3 December to consider the financial review of the Ministry of Justice, its inquiry into the 2002 General Election, and a number of the petitions before it. It also heard evidence on the Care of Children Bill, and the Lawyers and Conveyancers Bill. Evidence was heard on the Lawyers and Conveyancers Bill by video-conference from both Dunedin and Rotorua.

The committee will meet next on Wednesday, 10 December to consider the financial review of the Parliamentary Counsel Office, and the Care of Children Bill. It will also hear evidence on the Judicial Matters Bill from 3.30 pm to 6.00 pm.

The main part of the committee’s meeting will be spent on the petition of Lynley Hood on the Christchurch civic crèche case and its associated petition (2002/55 Petition of Lynley Jane Hood and Dr Don Brash and 807 others, and 2002/70 Petition of Gaye Davidson and 3346 others). The meeting will be held in Room G.002, Parliament House and will be open to the public from 10.45 am to 1.00 pm to hear from both the petitioners and the Ministry of Justice. Room G.008 in Parliament House will be set up with a video link as an ‘overflow room’ to facilitate public interest in observing the hearing of evidence on the petitions.

Law and Order (Tracey Rayner, SC-LO@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met this week to consider the Corrections Bill and other items. It will meet again next week to continue consideration of the Corrections Bill, and to consider the financial reviews of the Department for Courts, the New Zealand Police, the Department of Corrections, and the Serious Fraud Office.

Local Government and Environment (Marie Alexander, SC-LGE@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on Thursday, 4 December to consider the Resource Management (Energy and Climate Change) Amendment Bill and to hear evidence on the financial reviews of the Department of Conservation and the Ministry for the Environment. The committee next meets on Thursday, 11 December to consider the inquiry into the alleged accidental release of genetically engineered sweet corn plants in 2000 and subsequent actions taken.

Maori Affairs (Miles Reay, SC-MA@parliament.govt.nz)

On Thursday, 4 December the committee considered its financial review of Te Puni Kokiri.

At its next meeting on Thursday, 11 December it will further consider its financial review of Te Puni Kokiri, and host a delegation from the Council of Ethnic Minorities Committee, National Assembly of Vietnam.

Primary Production (Bob Bunch, SC-PP@parliament.govt.nz)

On Tuesday, 2 December the committee reported back on its inquiry into the administration and management of the scampi fishery. The report, the result of a year-long inquiry, can be found on the following website: http://www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz/Publications/CommitteeReport/.

On Thursday, 4 December the committee met to consider and hear evidence on the financial review of Land Information New Zealand and to consider the financial review of Timberlands West Coast Limited, which it reported on Friday, 5 December.

Next Thursday, 11 December the committee will consider and hear evidence on the 2002/03 financial review of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

Regulations Review (Michael Wilkinson, SC-RR@parliament.govt.nz)

This week the committee continued with its scrutiny of new Government regulations and considered the regulation-making powers in the Electricity and Gas Industries Bill. Next week the committee will hear evidence on the Telecommunications Information Privacy Code.

Social Services (Graham Hill, SC-SS@parliament.govt.nz)

The committee met on Thursday, 4 December to consider the financial reviews of the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services, the Ministry of Housing and the Housing New Zealand Corporation. The committee also heard further evidence from the Minister of Social Services and Employment on the financial review of the Ministry of Social Development. The committee will continue its consideration of all these reviews at its next meeting on Thursday, 11 December.

Closing dates for submissions

Committees are receiving submissions on the following items with the closing date shown:

Commerce

- Electricity and Gas Industries Bill (30 January 2004)

- Sale of Liquor Amendment Bill (No 2) (30 January 2004)

Education and Science

- Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (Transitional Provisions and Controls) Amendment Bill (16 January 2004)

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade

- Mercenary Activities (Prohibition) Bill (31 January 2004)

- Visiting Forces Bill (13 February 2004)

- Inquiry into New Zealand’s relationship with Tonga (28 March 2004)

Government Administration

- Architects Bill (5 December 2003)

Justice and Electoral

- Parole Bill (20 February 2004)

Primary Production

- Fisheries Amendment Bill (15 December 2003)

Standing Orders

- Members of Parliament (Pecuniary Interests) Bill (27 February 2004)

General

You can find further information about select committees on our website at www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz. If you require additional information or have any feedback on the contents, please contact:

Fay Paterson

Senior Parliamentary Officer

fay.paterson@parliament.govt.nz

Compiled in the Select Committee Office, Office of the Clerk, 5 December 2003

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